220G Dream Tank Build

[Timbo3416]

I have been an aquarist for most of my life and a reef keeper for a couple of years now. I had a FOWLR marine tank for many years before going
to a 55G tank and adding corals. I have been lurking on the site watching other builds and referring to it to answer questions I’ve had but I’ve never posted before. I’ve thought of attending some meetings and haven’t yet but I plan to, either in January or February depending on when they
are scheduled.

It is a glass aquarium with an acrylic bottom tapped with 4 lines all with ball valves. The dimensions of the tank are: 72" L x 24" D x 30" H.

After making sure I still had a passion for the hobby and the increased maintenance involved in a reef tank I made the plunge and picked up a nearly new 220 G tank with a custom stand. I am getting it tomorrow and I am very excited.

I have a ProFlex Model 3 Sump I am using as a refugium. I have 3 different kinds of macroalgae (Cheto, Red and Ulva) ,on top of about 14 lbs. of
Walt Smith Fiji Mud with several kinds of pods, brittle stars, stomatella etc in it.

The equipment I plan on taking from my current tank and using on the new tank:

Aqueon ProFlex Model 3 Sump as Refugium (as configured above).

Little Giant 3-MDQX-SC Pump

Artica Titanium 1/10 HP Chiller

Reef Octopus 4" NWB-110 Protein Skimmer

2 x 250 W and 1 x 150 Watt Heaters

2 x 250 W double-ended Metal Halide fixtures w/ electronic ballast

4 x 48" T5 actinic fluorescent bulbs

CaribSea fine oolite sand (currently in 55 gallon)

80 lbs. of live rock currently in 55G

I plan on adding at least 1 more metal halide light fixture to the tank as I don't think 2 will be enough. I may well move to LEDs in the future but
the budget currently doesn't allow to convert to all LED with the intensity I'd need to get through 30" of water. Or would I be better off adding 1 intense LED instead of the 3rd metal halide fixture? What LED would be best for Coral growth and lighting a tank of this size and depth? Perhaps
I can get one and gradually add them to phase out the halides.

I may well add 2 additional 48" T5's and stagger them across the hood.

I make my own water, which is filtered through a Rainsoft RO (I got free when I worked for them out of college) and a BRS single canister DI using the
BRS color changing resin. I have 4 TDS out of the RO unit and zero out of the DI. I use Red Sea Coral Pro salt. I likely will buy DI water from River City for the initial fill as my RO membrane is only 26 GPD and I don't want to wait 9 days for the tank to fill. I was going to get a couple brute cans and mount them on a caster base (I might buy 2 and return 1 from Home Depot and just keep 1 as I don't think I'll reuire 2 long term, I just want to cut down on teh round trips to/from River City) or does another place have cheaper 0 TDS water than River City's 5 gallons for $1?

In addition to this I have a separate tank about 40 gallons that I plan to use as a second sump filled with live rock with an in sump pump. If that isn't big enough I suppose I could reuse the 55G as a live rock sump but that seems like overkill.

I was also planning on adding about 100-150 lbs. more live rock (a mix of Tonga and Fiji) from BRS (I have live rock so I figured that would seed the BRS dry rock).

What else will I need? What tools are going to be a big help with a tank this size - the 55G was the biggest tank I have ever had - I had a 44G
corner tank previous to this one.

Is it OK to reuse the sand from the old tank or am I just importing old problems? I thought I might rinse it with clean saltwater while I am
transferring it to remove everything I can although I have a number of feather worms I would like to keep in the sand so I am not sure I can rinse it. I
will obviously need a lot more sand - where is the best place to buy sand in bulk? Should I just buy bags from BRS? Or do any of the local places provide a discount in bulk? How much total sand will I need for an aquarium this large? I am really excited and want to avoid as many pitfalls as possible so any advice is more than appreciated.

The image is the tank as currently configured in its old home for freshwater.

[Planeden]

Welcome to the site. Sounds like a fun build.

River City will deliver water, but I'm not sure the cost.

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_educationcenter_calculators_sand_bed_calculator.html will calculate how much sand you'll need.

Reusing your sand or not will get a wide array if answers, I'm sure. I would at the very least keep some of it to seed your new tank with the worms you currently have in it.

I'm not qualified to answer much more than that.

Good luck

[ceastman]

I just got my water from River City Aquatics - they have a 130g reservoir that fit in the back of my mini van (seats folded down). They also have a 65g reservoir also.